


Face In The Mirror

by XPS_Core



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 00:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10730310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XPS_Core/pseuds/XPS_Core
Summary: Some things change, some things remain the same. Some things are meant to be, and some things never have the chance to happen. But as far as Winter is concerned, some things can only be done yourself. Fate can take a hike. [Vol 3 / RubyxWeissxWinter]





	Face In The Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. I just amuse myself with the OPT, Ruby and Weiss. (And occasional others thrown in there, within reason)
> 
> A/N: So, FINALLY, I sat down and was able to get enough of this fic written down to make some headway. To those of you that follow me, you might recognize this as the fabled RubyxWeissxWinter ship I have been working on for the past few months. It isn't very long (only three parts), but It's gonna be epic -- I promise you all. I have the biggest shit-eating grin on my face just thinking about it.
> 
> I wanted to add that I wouldn't have been able to get far at all without the help of my apprentice of the dark side of fanfiction (I.E., smut), XPS_Core, who helped me co-write this fic. Thanks to his awesomeness, this turned out better than I hoped it would, and hope he learns something about plot lines in a work of fiction! :D Cheers, mate!
> 
> Enjoy!

0 – 0 – 0

**Face In The Mirror**

**Part 1**

0 – 0 – 0

Ruby Rose really did not know exactly what to expect when Weiss dragged her away from the dorm to the Beacon Airfield. After all, her white-haired partner was usually so adamant that she study and practice, as to not embarrass her or the rest of Team RWBY – especially after the near-loss they suffered the previous day. But a win was still a win! So that had to count for something!

The older girl's mood had been sour ever since the match, and only seemed to pick up when she heard that a ship from Atlas was arriving. Upon hearing the news, Weiss slammed her book shut, grabbed Ruby by the arm, and tugged her along out of their room.

"Come on, you dunce! We're going to be late!"

What they were going to be late for, Ruby had no idea. But if her usually aloof and haughty partner actually _wanted_ her to tag along as opposed to usually wanting nothing to do with her, then who was Ruby to complain? The mad dash Weiss led her on continued down the entire way to the airfield, and when they finally stopped in the shadow of the always-impressive visage of the gargantuan airship from Atlas, Ruby could finally catch her breath.

"Weiss," she panted, her hands on her knees. Ruby thought she was fast, but apparently an excited Weiss could give even her speed a run for her money. "What is the big deal? Who is it? Who is she?" Weiss had mentioned a ' _she'_ during the chase down to the airfield, which certainly narrowed the reasons why Weiss had dragged Ruby along, but as of yet, she still had no idea of who _she_ was.

Weiss wasn't paying attention; her icy blue eyes flicking this way and that, her hand against her chest, clasping her necklace. Her lips moved soundlessly, forming words that Ruby couldn't hear, and Ruby took advantage of her partner's distraction to let her own gaze linger on her partner.

Long white hair tied back into a lopsided ponytail, crystal clear blue eyes that slanted up just so, her scar running across her left eye – jarring at first glance, but easy enough to overlook once you got used to it – all the way down to her angled cheeks. Ever since first laying her eyes on her that first day at Beacon, Ruby had always been slightly jealous of the older girl's looks. She had seemed so mature, and so attractive, that every time Ruby stood beside her she would fidget, ashamed that she looked so young in comparison, her face still showing traces of baby fat around the cheeks.

That also extended not only to her looks, but to her natural abilities on the field. Weiss was the epitome of what a Huntress should be, as Ruby has come to find out. No matter what she was doing or where she was, her eyes would always seem to settle on Weiss, and she would find herself watching the way the older girl would effortlessly glide through the air with careful precision and skill.

She didn't rely on strength like Yang did, nor did she use the natural agility that Blake had, she instead using her elegance to slice through her enemies with ease, dancing around them so that they would be unable to land a hit. Her usage of dust, combined with her surprisingly useful Semblance, only enhanced her natural abilities. It was the perfect combination of elements, resulting in a beautiful performance in the field and during their spars that would put some professionals to shame, in Ruby's humble opinion. And it just made the young Scythe-wielder all the more pleased that she was lucky enough to be Weiss' partner.

"Winter," Weiss finally breathed, her face alight with pride and affection – something Ruby was decidedly unused to seeing on her partner's face. She had to admit, though, it was a good look. Though, something about the name sounded familiar…

"Wait, Ruby murmured as she tried to connect the name to anyone she remembered. Finally, it clicked. "Your sister?"

"Winter!" Weiss cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled across the airfield, startling Ruby with her sudden call. If Weiss was anything, loud definitely wasn't it. Regardless, the group gathering at the bottom of the ramp lowered from the airship parted slightly with the call, revealing a woman in an Atlas Officer's uniform – Winter, Ruby surmised.

Weiss took off at a run again, her arms waving. Ruby rolled her eyes and skipped after her partner, only assuming that she was invited for the 'sisterly reunion'. As they neared the group, which Ruby noted were actually Atlas guard robots instead of actual soldiers, Winter clearly came into focus.

 _Tall_ was the first thing that came to Ruby's mind as she took in the older Schnee. Tall, statuesque, and – at first glance, at least – strikingly similar to Weiss herself. Or, maybe Weiss looked similar to Winter, Ruby thought, chagrined. The woman, white hair just like Weiss', though tied into a tight bun on the side of her head, looked surprisingly at home in her uniform, and certainly cut an impressive figure. The sword – a rapier not all that dissimilar to Weiss' own Myrtenaster, though more narrow and slightly curved – helped with her whole 'soldier' persona.

Of course, surrounded as she was with guards at the foot of the ramp leading up to the Atlesian airship, it was simple enough to pick her out of the airfield.

"Winter! I'm so happy to see you!" Weiss exclaimed happily. Her face definitely seemed as excited at her tone, her eyes wide and her lips stretched into the biggest grin Ruby had ever seen on her face before. Whatever kind of sister Winter was to Weiss, she must have been a pretty good one to be able to bring out this kind of emotion in her usually stuffy and uptight partner.

"Oh!" Weiss started as she finally came to a stop. She blinked a couple times, as if remembering something, and her posture straightened. Ruby watched, bemused, as Weiss spread her arms out and slid her foot forward, dipping into a perfect curtsey. "Your presence honors us." She said slowly, serenely.

Winter's dark blue eyes flicked once to Weiss' and to Ruby, and then slid over the airfield as she strode slowly in measured steps from the bottom of the ramp towards the girls. Her arms were held behind her back, her posture perfect and professional, and her face unreadable. She peered around the airfield for a moment before finally opening her mouth.

"Beacon… It's been a long time." She murmured, her voice soft, thoughtful, likely thinking back to the last time she had been to the school. "The air feels different." She finally observed.

Ruby shrugged, not quite sure how to take that. "I mean it is Fall. So... yea, it probably _is_ colder." She was about to say more, but was cut off by a sharp jab in the ribs as Weiss stepped forward, her eyes narrowed in silent warning.

"So!" Weiss said to her sister, loudly enough to curtail anything further Ruby had to say. "What are you doing here?"

Winter's eyes passed over Weiss and Ruby, listlessly gazing over towards a far section of the airfield. "Classified." She finally muttered.

"Oh. Right." Weiss said, embarrassed. She held her hands in front of her stomach, and cleared her throat, trying again. "Well, how long are you staying?"

"Classified."

"Of course." Weiss muttered politely, but Ruby could tell it was strained. There was a long silence during which neither sister said anything more, simply watching the passing students and visitors around them. Ruby fidgeted in her boots, not sure if she should contribute anything to the discussion or not. After all, this _was_ a Schnee sister reunion, she wasn't even sure if she should be there.

But, Weiss _did_ drag her along…

"Well, this is nice…" Ruby said as the air grew more awkward. She held her arms behind her back and kicked at the ground, feeling distinctly out of place. "I think?"

"You're going to love it here!" Weiss finally exclaimed, her hands flying to her face in uncharacteristic exuberance. "I know you travel a lot, but so much of Beacon is different from Atlas! Vale too! The government _and_ school are completely separate! Can you believe it? I—"

"I'm more than familiar with how this kingdom handles its _bureaucracy,"_ Winter cut Weiss off, all but spitting out the last word. She peered down at Weiss speculatively. "That is not why I came."

Weiss straightened, her face tightening. "Right. I'm sorry." She dipped her head slightly in embarrassment.

But Winter wasn't done. "Nor did I come here to watch my own blood fail so miserably in battle. But it appears that I have no choice in the matter."

Weiss blinked, looking up in surprised disbelief. "But – we won!"

Ruby could almost _hear_ Winter's silent scoff as she watched on. "Only a novice would refer to _that_ as a victory. I counted at least three strikes missed." Weiss flinched, as though each of those missed strikes were a blow to her own physical body as well as her pride. "Leave us."

Ruby blinked, shocked, until she realized that Winter had been referring to her robotic guard. The mechanical soldiers clicked and whirred, stepping away as ordered. Once they were finally out of earshot, Winter sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as her entire body seemed to deflate. Almost as if some sort of invisible weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"How have you been?" She then asked. Ruby was surprised to hear that the commanding tone the woman had been using up until this point was absent, replaced with something more familiar – more friendly. It was such a sudden and drastic change that Ruby found herself watching the older woman closely, as if she wasn't sure which was the real Winter; the soldier that had just been scolding her partner, or the sister who just asked how Weiss was doing.

Weiss straightened again, her entire face lighting up. "Oh! Splendid! Thank you for asking." Her voice took on her typical haughty tone that Ruby was used to hearing, and she had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. "I'm actually at the very top raking in our sparring class. The rest of my studies are going wonderfully, too –"

Ruby never even saw Winter's hand until it already smacked Weiss lightly on the forehead.

"Silence, you boob!" She scolded, her icy blue eyes narrowed. "I don't recall asking about your ranking!" Her voice softened slightly. "I asked how you've _been_. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?"

"Well… there's Ruby…" Weiss muttered finally, waving her hand in the girl's general direction.

Ruby snorted, poking Weiss' forehead where her older sister had smacked her. "Boob."

Seeing an older sister tease a younger sister that _wasn't her_ was nice every now and again.

"I see." Winter said slowly, her eyes sliding over to Ruby and stopping for the first time. She froze under the woman's piercing gaze, blinking rapidly. "So this is the leader you wrote of." She examined Ruby for a long moment, starting from her face, down to her body and legs, lingering for a moment on her boots, and then slowly creeping up her body again to lock her blue eyes with Ruby's silver orbs. She shuffled her feet, feeling slightly embarrassed by the sudden attention the older woman was paying her.

"How appropriately… underwhelming." Winter finally murmured, her voice velvety smooth. The words spoken were a bit disappointing, but the small quirk in the corners of the woman's mouth seemed to soften the blow.

But only a little.

"Uh… thank you." Ruby replied, for lack of anything better to say.

Winter straightened again, her chin tilting in a way that Ruby recognized Weiss did when she was addressing something important. "Greetings, Ruby Rose." She said formally. "I wish to thank you for taking an… _interest_ … in my sister."

Ruby blinked once, twice, wondering if, in fact, she had heard the woman correctly. Surely there was no way…

She cleared her throat. "Oh. Um, yes! Of course!" She paused, thinking for anything to reply with. Unfortunately, her repertoire of fancy words was unseasonably low at the moment, and she floundered for a moment until finally grabbing the words from midair, "The honor is in my… court." Then, in an attempt to copy Weiss from moments before she slid her booted feet forward in a clumsy attempt at a bow.

From Winter's stern, though decidedly bemused expression, it hadn't worked. Nevertheless, the woman seemed to take her attempt in stride and nodded resolutely. She sucked in a deep breath and then turned to address both Ruby and Weiss. "I have business with the general and your headmaster. But, seeing as I'm early…" She folded her hands in front of her, a small smile flickering to life on her face. "Why don't you take me to your quarters?"

"R-really?" Weiss breathed excitedly.

"Yes." Winter nodded, stepping forward between the two girls. "I… wish to inspect them. Make sure they are up to my personal standards."

"Of course." Weiss agreed, gesturing towards the school with her hand. "Just so you're aware, the bunk beds only _look_ unstable."

Winter blinked. "Bunk… beds?" If anything, she sounded amused by the idea Weiss put into her head.

"I'll catch up!" Ruby called as the Schnee sisters walked on, flanked by a small group of guard robots.

Winter stopped, turning back towards Ruby, her dark blue eyes landing squarely on the younger girl. "You are coming too, aren't you, Miss Rose?"

"Oh!" Truthfully, Ruby hadn't realized she had been invited. She assumed this trip to their dorms would have been a sister thing, and that Ruby would only be a third wheel by tagging along. But if Winter insisted…

She peered at Weiss, who stood beside her sister, to gauge her reaction. The younger Schnee looked from Winter to Ruby, her face a study in honest confusion. It seemed as though she, too, was caught off guard by the older woman's invitation. But as she turned back to Ruby and shrugged, slowly nodding her acceptance, it seemed as though to Ruby that her partner either didn't mind her presence, or didn't want to disobey her sister.

Either way, it looked as though Ruby was going to continue tagging along with the Schnee sisters for a while longer.

0 – 0 – 0

The trip from the airfield to the dorms was awkward for Weiss. Normally, she would have been perfectly happy to give her older sister a guided tour of Beacon's facilities, starting from the airfield and making stops by the library, the cafeteria – perhaps not including the incident with the food fight – and dueling arena, and then ending with the dormitories. After all, Weiss was quite proud of her school, even if it wasn't her parent's initial choice for her education to be a Huntress.

But, aside from the fact that they were flanked by a small cadre of guard bots, which did unsurprisingly well at warding off any students from approaching as well as draw the equally curious eye, and Ruby trudging along behind them like a lost puppy – both unsure if she was even allowed to join in with their 'tour' and genuinely confused why she was even asked to come - it seemed as though Winter was simply uninterested in being guided by her little sister.

The woman walked through the halls with sure, measured steps, head held high and back straight, her hands behind her back, following along at Weiss' shoulder. She nodded politely when Weiss would point out a room or details about its purpose, humming thoughtfully as though considering her sister's words, but Weiss knew enough about her older sister to know when the woman's mind was elsewhere, not really caring about the tour in the slightest.

That was understandable, since the woman had frequented Beacon in the past. Whether it was during her duty in the Atlas military or her younger years, Winter had never fully explained to Weiss the circumstances of how she had known so much about Beacon when Weiss expressed an interest in attending the prestigious academy; the older Schnee had simply brushed off her sister's questions as 'classified'.

Winter certainly did keep specific things close to the chest when Weiss was growing up.

Still, Weiss did her duty and led her sister through her school, occasionally looking over her shoulder to find Ruby still trailing along behind them, uncharacteristically silent in their wake.

Weiss sighed through her nose as she looked to her partner, thinking of how her opinion of the younger girl had changed in a few short months.

Originally, Weiss impression of Ruby when they first met was not a good one, but Ruby had done everything that she could possibly do to prove herself. From taking charge of their group-turned team during their initiation, to the events during Mt. Glenn, Ruby had proven Weiss wrong every time she had doubted her. And even though Weiss _despised_ being wrong, she was content knowing that her fears about Ruby were unfounded. Ruby was a fine leader, in fact she could say that Ruby was an _excellent_ leader, and Weiss herself had doubts that she could be half of what Ruby is right now.

Not only mentally, but physically. That scythe of hers, while looking basically like an overgrown hand tool, required such precision and raw strength that Weiss never knew that Ruby possessed. Weiss had noticed during a few of her combat spars how Ruby's small form moved with the grace and precision of a seasoned Huntress, her facial features flitting through various emotions as she moved, her Crescent Rose one with her entire body, a delicate balance of power and beauty. Ruby Rose was truly a gifted and special individual, and one that Weiss was pleased to have as part of her life.

"And here we are!" Weiss finally said, standing in front of their dorm room proudly, her hands on her hips. "Our dorm room." She turned towards her sister, who nodded approvingly.

"Very good. Is it still four to a room?"

"Yes."

Winter nodded, and then turned away to address the guard robots. "Stay outside." She commanded simply, and then gestured for Ruby to open the door. "Shall we?"

Ruby jumped at the older woman addressing her, but shuffled forward to join Weiss. "O-of course!"

Weiss smiled tightly as her partner opened the door and stepped aside, allowing the sisters to enter first. That was new, Weiss thought as she narrowed her eyes slightly; usually Ruby was first in and last out. But, considering how she had been acting – skittish and not entirely sure why she was following Weiss and Winter on their tour, she supposed she could overlook the girl's odd behavior.

Weiss blinked as her sister brushed by her, not even seeming to care if she left both students alone in the hall with her guards, and walked around the room slowly. She started on the right side - Yang and Blake's beds, and took in the state of them; Blake's with a small assortment of books and Yang's with a pair of shorts and the odd hairbrush.

After that, she continued her silent self-guided tour to the shared desk space, laying her hand on the stained surface, as if testing its durability. Apparently satisfied, she nodded and turned towards Ruby and Weiss' stacked beds.

For a long moment she stood there, silent and still as a statue, staring at the beds. She lowered her head to Weiss' bed, and then lifted it to inspect Ruby's. Ruby's bunk, as opposed to Weiss' own pristine bed, was a mess; cookie wrappers and rumpled sheets littered the surface, and Weiss inwardly winced. _Why hadn't she told Ruby to fix her bed before they had left?_ Really, though, she could not be all that upset with her partner. She could not have known her sister would have actually _wanted_ to see their rooms… but Ruby could have at least made an effort to keep her space clean.

Weiss' self-scolding was interrupted when Winter reached out and - oddly enough - touched the stack of books, knick-knacks and duct tape keeping their beds aloft. She splayed her hand over the wood, running her long fingers across the spines of the books and assorted objects, taking great care to not jostle them. Her face was a study in neutrality, but Weiss knew her sister enough to recognize when she was lost in thought; her eyes would cloud over just slightly, and her mouth would part as though a word or syllable was on the tip of her tongue, and she couldn't quite recall it. Eventually she would give up on the word, and her lips would thin across her face in frustration, and her hand would drop from the bed to her side.

Winter had always been a very tactile person - reaching out and touching things to consider them rather than simply viewing them.

Weiss was much the same way, she knew. Thinking back, maybe it was due to Winter being such an influence on Weiss that she was so much like her at times like this. As a girl, Weiss was positively enamoured with her big sister, copying her in every little thing in hopes that she would eventually be just like her. Mimicking how she walked, how she talked, and how she ate and learned and fought; Weiss spent most of her younger years trying to do all she could to be just like Winter.

For the most part it had worked - but there were some things that only experience, or simply natural ability, could give you.

"Are these truly safe to sleep on?" Winter finally asked from beside the beds, deadpan.

"Oh!" Weiss jumped, startled. "Um, well, yes. Like I said, they only _look_ unstable."

Winter arched an eyebrow skeptically, but simply shrugged a single shoulder and flicked her eyes between Weiss and Ruby, who were still hovering in the hallway.

"Well, are you both going to continue to stand there? Or are you going to come inside?"

"Oh… oh!" Weiss said, surprised. "Of course! Come along, Ruby." She gestured to her partner, who trailed along at her heel silently. Weiss shut the door behind them and turned to regard her friend and sister. "Well, here we are." She said, perhaps unnecessarily.

Winter nodded. "Yes. I must admit, the rooms are just as you described in your letters." She paused thoughtfully. "Though, they are a bit small for four people. I imagine it will be more comfortable when they move you into the larger rooms for pairs in a couple years."

"Larger rooms?" Ruby echoed at the same time that Weiss repeated "Pairs?"

Winter blinked, looking between the younger girls. "Yes," She said, primly sitting down on Weiss' bed. She waited until Ruby and Weiss had sat down as well - Weiss on the chair at the desk and Ruby on her sister's own bed - before continuing. "Unless things changed more than I remember, Beacon Academy only puts the entire team together in the same room for the first two years. This is to make it so that you become familiar with one another and work better as a team. After that, they split you up into paired rooms for two people. That helps to get closer to your partner and work better as a cohesive unit. It's standard procedure." She added, as if lecturing a fellow soldier the ins and outs of how the military works.

"I see." Weiss said, her eyes flicking towards her partners. Ruby blinked her large, silver eyes owlishly back at her, and then she looked away, the barest hint of pink dusting across her cheeks. Weiss kept her gaze on Ruby for a moment, and sighed. "Well, that explains some things. It's good to know that we will have room as we grow."

"Y-yea!" Ruby said, finally getting over her weird silence enough to add to the conversation. Though, her tone was forced and a little strained. "Some of us are still growing, after all."

Weiss rolled her eyes; having heard her partner's diatribe about how she 'would eventually grow up and be just as beautiful as her mother… someday.' As it was, the girl drank far too much milk already, and could stand to take a break from her definition of 'growing'... at least, until Weiss caught up to her, anyway.

Hell, if genetics were any implication, Ruby would probably be as well of as Yang was in a few years. She knew that the half sisters had different mothers, but surely _some_ of their physical traits came from their father's side?

_I mean, seriously… how does Yang not have back problems with her 'assets'? If Ruby grows up even half as endowed as Yang, then she has her work cut out for her..._

Weiss blushed at the odd thought that crossed her mind and shook her head, glancing away from her partner and out the window.

Winter seemed to notice the suddenly awkward atmosphere in the room, and cleared her throat. "Forgive me for prying… but does the idea of sharing a room bother the two of you?"

"What? No! Of course not." Weiss replied, confused. While she had found it hard to get accustomed to living with Ruby at first, she had eventually gotten used to it and, quite honestly, liked the idea of sharing a bunk bed and eventual dorm room with Ruby. The idea was… nice. Weiss could definitely picture it, and it was hard to keep a smile off her face at the thought of she and Ruby sharing a room. There would be fights, of course, as all friends and roommates had, but there would be good times as well. And Weiss could definitely look forward to the good times.

At the sudden silence, Weiss turned to Ruby and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Well, Ruby?"

Ruby seemed to straighten on Yang's bed, her eyes wide. "U-um... y-yea. I mean, no. I definitely don't have a problem with that. Sharing a room with Weiss, and all. Not at all." She nodded decisively. "That would be totally cool. We could hang out and eat cookies and stuff! And help each other with homework, and do each other's hair… and, um, talk about… boys? No, I mean, talk about weapons! And, girls? No. I mean…. arg. Nevermind. This is me shutting up now."

She shut her mouth with a loud ' _click'_ , her face red and her bangs hiding her eyes.

Weiss blinked rapidly at the sudden shift in Ruby's behavior. On her best days, the girl would not shut up. She was only ever really quiet when she was out of her depth. Weiss could understand her awkwardness at the moment; being in the presence of her older sister did that to people - even Weiss sometimes would devolve into a stammering mess around Winter Schnee - but Ruby was acting positively _alien_. First she would not talk, then she would, then she wouldn't again, and then she spewed out nonsense in the form of rambling, and then reverted to silence once again. It was so out of character for her usually bubble and cheerful leader that Weiss was sure she would get whiplash if this dragged on anymore.

Slowly turning back to her sister, preparing herself for the scathing look she would surely receive for having such a bumbling, awkward girl for a leader, Weiss squared her shoulders as she was taught and lifted her chin. But, surprisingly, Winter's expression held none of the reprimand Weiss had been sure she would get.

If anything, Winter's face was bemused; Weiss would even go so far as to call it affectionate.

"I see." Winter said simply. She slid her eyes from Weiss to Ruby, and then back to her sister. "Well, in that case, I am relieved. It is good that you found such a good friend, Weiss."

"Um, I…" Weiss stuttered, unsure of how to reply. "Thank you?"

Her sister nodded again, and then made to stand. "Anyway, I must go meet the general and headmaster. It was nice to see you again, sister." She smiled tightly to Weiss, and then turned to Ruby. "Miss Rose-"

"Ruby." the girl blurted out, and then her blush returned. "Y-you can call me Ruby. You know, if you want."

Winter, caught off guard, blinked three times. She recovered quickly enough, however, and smiled softly. "Ruby." She murmured softly, as if the name were something worth saying. It was odd hearing her partner's name said that way, even more so from her own sister, and Weiss couldn't help but feel her eyebrows raise in surprise.

Apparently, Ruby was also surprised, as she shuffled on Yang's bed. "Um, yes?"

Moments passed in silence before Winter finally shook herself from whatever stupor she was in, and then - quick as a flash - her professional demeanor was back. "Nothing." She said, standing from Weiss' bed and brushing at her trousers. "I simply wish to thank you for taking care of my sister, and for allowing me to refer to you by name. I want to thank you, and hope you will call me 'Winter' in return."

"Oh. Um, sure!" Ruby smiled, though still a tad uneasily. "No problem… Winter."

Apparently satisfied, Winter stepped beside Weiss and laid a hand on her shoulder. "We shall speak later, sister." She said, and, nodding to Ruby, she left the room, shutting the door behind her softly.

The seconds passed in silence between the two girls, both of them unsure of what to say to each other. Their 'tour' with Weiss' sister had been anything but normal, Winter apparently having her own ideas and agenda the entire time.

She clearly had wanted to spend some time with her sister, even if she hadn't directly said so. On the other hand, she had invited Ruby along as if such a thing was obvious and only right. And while there wasn't anything _wrong_ with her request for the younger girl to tag along, neither she nor Weiss had obviously expected it.

And then there was the whole odd conversation with them in the dorm room about sharing a room in the future. Out of all the topics Winter could have chosen, why had she picked one that supposedly paired Weiss and Ruby together? Again, not that there was anything wrong with the topic she chose… but there were many other more relevant to their situation; their classes, their teammates and other friends… even the festival would have been more appropriate.

So why her and Ruby?

"Well… she seemed nice…" Ruby finally murmured from her perch on Yang's bed.

Blinking, Weiss turned to regard her partner. The girl still had a light blush creeping across her cheeks and was shifting her legs beneath her - a gesture Weiss could associate to Ruby when she was embarrassed. It was cute, in a way, and never failed to bring a chagrined smile to Weiss' lips.

"You should feel honored," She remarked dryly. "Winter never calls me anything but 'Sister'."

Silver eyes glinted as Ruby's lips quirked up into a suddenly cheeky grin. "Or 'Boob', apparently."

This time it was Weiss' turn to blush, and she whirled around to face her partner and stamp her foot in frustration. "W-whatever! Let's go! Yang and Blake said they'd meet us for lunch!"

Laughing, Ruby leapt from the bed and righted herself, darting ahead of Weiss to open the door. "'Kay! After you, Miss Boob!"

Shrieking in mock-fury, Weiss careened after a cackling Ruby, barely remembering to shut the door as the two of them rushed down the hallway to meet their teammates for lunch.

 

0 – 0 – 0

**To be continued...**

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Let me know your thoughts on this if you are enjoying it! :D Feed my ego, and any and all comments will be shared with my co-writer, who will bask in my glory like an ego leech. (lol) (but seriously)
> 
> The 'working title' for this fic was "Weisscream Sammich", because it amused me.
> 
> See you on the next chapter, which will be up soon!
> 
> *Please comment/follow/favorite*
> 
> ***Will work for glomps***
> 
> Web / XPS Core


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